Reactions of olefinic molecules in the presence of metal-containing catalysts to produce other olefinic molecules are known in the art as "disproportionation" reactions. A typical olefin disproportionation process is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,879, issued Jul. 19, 1966, to Banks, wherein two similar non-symmetrical molecules of an olefin react in the presence of certain catalysts to produce one olefin of a higher carbon number and one olefin of a lower carbon number such as, for example, propylene disproportionation by the process of U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,879 to produce ethylene and butylenes.
A variation of this disproportionation process, which might be termed "reverse disproportionation", is illustrated by the Netherlands Patent Application 6514985 of British Petroleum Company, Limited, published May 20, 1966, wherein, in one modification, molecules of two dissimilar symmetrical olefins are reacted to form two molecules of a single olefin product, e.g., ethylene and 2-butene react to form proplyene.
Another variation of the process, being conveniently termed "ring opening disproportionation" to distinguish it from other variations, is disclosed by British Patent Specification No. 1,163,657 of Phillips Petroleum Company, published Sept. 10, 1969, wherein a cyclic olefin and an acyclic olefin react to form a single product molecule. For example, ethylene reacts with cyclopentene by ring opening disproportionation to produce 1,6-heptadiene.
As used in this application, disproportionation process means the conversion of olefinic hydrocarbons into similar olefinic hydrocarbons of higher and lower numbers of carbon atoms per molecule. Where the reactant comprises 1- or 2-olefins having relatively long chains, a mixture of products is obtained comprising primarily olefins having both a larger and a smaller number of carbon atoms than the feed olefin but also including other disproportionated products, for example, saturated hydrocarbons, and other converted and unconverted material. Such an operation is useful in many instances. For example, a more plentiful hydrocarbon can be converted to a less plentiful and therefore more valuable hydrocarbon. One instance of such a conversion occurs when the process of this invention is used to convert both higher and lower molecular weight olefins to olefins in the C.sub.10 -C.sub.16 range, a range of olefins especially suitable for the manufacture of detergents. Another instance of a disproportionation reaction having considerable value is the disproportionation of propylene to produce ethylene and butene.
A variety of catalysts have been employed for conducting disproportionation reactions, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,340,322, issued Sept. 5, 1967; U.S. Pat. No. 3.637,892, issued Jan. 25, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,026, issued Sept. 18, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,108, issued Feb. 12, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,180, issued Mar. 18, 1975; and British Patent Specification No. 1,128,091, published Mar. 16, 1966.
The catalysts in the above references are generally prepared according to conventional methods such as impregnation, wherein a carrier is impregnated with a solution of metals; co-precipitation, wherein a carrier compound and metals are simultaneously precipitated; or co-mulling, wherein dry powders are mixed with a suitable extrusion aid such as water and extruded.
A related case directed to the disproportionation of olefins using a hydrogel-derived catalyst is commonly-assigned copending application Ser. No. 056,185, filed May 27, 1985, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,099.